In the late hours of a Monday night in Newark, New Jersey, the life of 18-year-old Brandyn Waters of Paterson was tragically cut short. On June 23, 2025, at approximately 11:40 p.m., chaos erupted on the 300-block of 6th Avenue, near the border of East Orange. Gunfire shattered the night, leaving five people struck by bullets in what authorities described as a mass shooting.
Responding Newark police officers arrived at a chaotic scene with an unruly crowd.
Among the victims was Brandyn Waters, who had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to University Hospital, but his injuries proved too severe, and he was pronounced dead. Four other male victims, two 19-year-olds, a 24-year-old, and a 26-year-old, were also injured in the shooting and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force has taken charge of the investigation into the shooting. In the immediate aftermath, authorities reported that no suspects had been identified or arrested, and the motive behind the indiscriminate gunfire remained unclear. Witnesses at the scene described a terrifying event with numerous shots fired, leaving vehicles riddled with bullet holes.
Brandyn, known to some as 'Stunna,' was remembered by his family as a young man full of promise, laughter, and love, with big dreams and a spirit that could light up any room. His aunt, Nakia Delgado, expressed the family's overwhelming shock and grief, stating, 'Brandyn was so much more than the way he left us.' A fundraiser was established to help his family with the unexpected funeral expenses to give him a beautiful farewell. The investigation into the shooting that claimed his life is ongoing.
